Saban’s cult favorite franchise Beetleborgs has at last come to its finale. That is because Shout! Factory, the leading name in home entertainment, recently released the final volume of episodes from the one-time Fox Kids series in the form of Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. The series never did exactly receive a proper sendoff at the end of its second season in its original run on TV. That aside, it is no less enjoyable for fans that grew up with the short-lived series. Regardless of their familiarity with the series, audiences will find that the main reason for the success of these episodes is the work of the series’ writers. Unlike its more well-known counterpart Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, the writing that went into Beetleborgs was far more kid friendly. It lacked the martial arts action that was the centerpiece of the Power Rangers franchise and focused more on comedy and camp. That is just as evident in the episodes presented in this final volume of episodes as Shout! Factory’s previous Beetleborg’s box sets. The work of the show’s cast is just worth noting in regards to these episodes as the work of the show’s writers. The special effects that continued to be incorporated into the series in these episodes should be noted, too in terms of what makes them so enjoyable. They are very similar to those used throughout the early days of the Power Rangers. But because the show in general had a different format than that of Power Rangers, the special effects were able to take more of a spotlight. All three elements each play their own key part in the success and enjoyment of Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. Together they make the triple-disc box set in whole one that every kid and kid at heart will want to add to their personal library regardless of their familiarity with this cult favorite series.

The final volume of episodes from Saban’s cult favorite series Beetleborgs is a collection that any kid and kid at heart will want to add to their personal library now that it is available on DVD. The main reason that viewers of all ages will want to add this collection to their personal libraries is its writing. While these episodes continued to incorporate much of the same action elements used in its more well-known counterpart in the Power Rangers, the writing incorporated into this series was far more kid friendly. There was no real martial arts action in the battle scenes. It was more blatantly fun, campy material with over the top special effects. Even outside of the battle scenes, what audiences got was far more kid friendly. There was no teen or even pre-teen angst unlike in the Power Rangers. That is evident as the writers continued to focus on the kids’ friendhip with Flabber and his monster pals. Speaking of the monsters, their continued buffoonery makes for plenty of laughs for audiences of all ages. From Flabber using a metal detector on them to find out which one might have stolen the astral coins to Count Fangula serving as Wolfgang’s lawyer as the pair negotiates to let Wolfgang help the Beetleborgs to their own back and forth with one another from episode to episode, they give audiences plenty of opportunities to laugh. That is just part of what makes the writing so pivotal to this volume. The actual stories that were crafted for the episodes in this volume should be noted, too.

The stories presented in Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two are just as key to the set’s enjoyment as the more extraneous elements of the show’s writing in this volume. While the general effect of Beetleborgs remained in these episodes far more kid friendly than in Power Rangers, the stories presented in the episodes were very familiar to those of Power Rangers, stylistically speaking. Case in point the multi-episode arc that saw the Beetleborgs have to retrieve the Astral Sword and coins so as to maintain control of the Roboborg and keep Nukus from controlling it for his evil plans. The arc in question kicks off in the back-end of the set’s first disc and takes up the set’s second and third disc. What really makes this final story arc so interesting is that unlike with the Power Rangers’ story arcs, audiences aren’t left with constant cliffhangers. Each episode managed to remain its own stand-alone episode all while advancing the story each time. In an odd way, it serves as an example of the serial done right well before serials became the norm. And even though it al built up to a finale that essentially left things wide open, the build up to that point still proves a success. It’s one more reason that audiences will appreciate this collection of episodes and will in turn want to add it to their own personal DVD libraries.

The work of the writers behind Beetleborgs gives viewers plenty to enjoy in its final collection of episodes. Its more kid friendly elements continue to maintain its identity apart from the likes of Power Rangers and other similar series that were being churned out at the time. On the other hand, the stories that were crafted for these episodes are very much like those of the series’ “big brother.” There are even coins very much like the original Power Rangers’ “Power Coins” that lie at the center of the series’ final story arc. Speaking of that arc, its progression is never met with any cliffhangers from one episode to the next. That is entirely different from the story arcs used in the Power Rangers’ original episodes. Yet again audiences see the writers’ ability to give viewers something familiar without making Beetleborgs a blatant carbon copy of Power Rangers and other similar series on TV at the time. Together with the episodes’ more kid friendly, comic elements the balance used in the crafting of this volume’s episodes shows clearly why the writers’ work is so important to the overall enjoyment of each episode.

The work put in by Beetleborgs’ writers proves throughout the series’ final collection of episodes to be of the utmost importance to its enjoyment even years after their original run. Their work is just one part of what makes the final volume of episodes from Saban’s Beetleborgs so enjoyable for audiences of all ages. The work of the show’s cast plays just as important a role in making this volume enjoyable. That is especially the case with Flabber and his monster pals. Billy Forester’s Robin Williams-esque approach to Flabber is just as entertaining as it was in the series’ first episodes. Joe Hackett, Frank Addella, and Blake Torney conjure thoughts of The Three Stooges at some points with their buffoonery. One can’t deny the laughs that David Fletcher offers as Frankenbeans, too. Even Marshal Hilton entertains with his entirely outlandish and over the top take on Lester Fortunes. His is a type of acting that has been mimicked many times since by so many other grown up actors that star in kids’ shows. One could potentially even argue that his acting was, maybe not groundbreaking per se, but definitely original for its time. Together with the work of his cast mates, the group in whole keeps audiences laughing and watching from beginning to end, proving yet again the importance of the cast’s work in these final episodes of Beetleborgs Metallix. Their work coupled with that of the show’s writers shows even more why audiences of all ages will want to add Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two to their own home libraries.

The work of the writers behind Beetleborgs and that of the series’ cast in the show’s final volume of episodes shows in so many ways what makes this volume so enjoyable for audiences of all ages. For all of their significance, the noted elements are only part of what makes Season Two Volume Two so enjoyable. The special effects and stock footage used throughout these episodes play their own role in the episodes’ enjoyment. The stock footage used in these episodes was lifted right from the series’ Japanese counterpart B-Fighter Kabuto. It is not the first time that the series had used stock footage, as it also lifted from Juukou B-Fighter for the series’ first season. It is also the same sort of approach used by Saban for its Power Rangers installments early on. Even being a similar approach, there is still something about it that makes the episodes that much more fun. The use of the seemingly intentionally campy special effects adds even more enjoyment. Whether it be Flabber getting the magic “knocked out of him” at one point, Mums spinning his head around to relieve tension in his neck at another, Count Fangula switching between his bat form and human form, or even Nukus bringing Les’ drawings to life, there is just something entertaining about the overly campy nature of these effects. These are just a handful of examples of the extensive campy special effects utilized throughout the final episodes of Beetleborgs. There are plenty of others that audiences will enjoy time and again when they purchase this box set. In seeing them, audiences will agree that when coupled with the use of the stock footage from B-Fighter Kabuto, both elements together complete Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. Set along with the work of the show’s writers and that of its cast, all three elements make Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two a fully welcome addition to the library of any of the show’s original fans and those of the show’s new fans.

Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two shows in a number of ways to be a fitting final sendoff for what was one of the most underrated of Saban’s sci-fi/fantasy series. The writing used in this collection’s episodes continue a standard established in each of the series’ previous volumes. It is a standard that gave audiences a series with a look and feel similar to that of Power Rangers but still managed to establish its own identity at the same time. The work of the series’ cast in these episodes makes Season Two Volume Two all the more enjoyable because of the laughs that it offers audiences of all ages. The show’s use of stock footage and apparently intentionally campy special effects adds even more enjoyment to each episode. The stock footage helped to establish that familiarity among audiences while the special effects made for their own share of laughs and in turn help to establish the show’s identity even more. All three elements alone play their own important part to the whole of Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. Collectively they make this final set of episodes from Beetleborgs one that viewers of all ages will want to have in their own home libraries so that they can enjoy them again and again. Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/beetleborgs-metallix-season-two-vol-2. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

Three years ago, Shout! Factory and Saban struck a deal that saw the first in a long line of releases from Saban’s now world-renowned Power Rangers franchise. The release in question was Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Season 1 Volume 1. It was the first but most definitely not the last of the Power Rangers franchise that fans would see finally get a proper release. Nearly three years after the release of that initial box set, Shout! Factory has seemingly come to the end of the road with the Power Rangers. That is because on March 10th, Shout! Factory will release what would be the first of the Power Rangers installments in the “post-Zordon era.” The installment in question is Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. Long-time fans of Saban’s Power Rangers franchise will especially appreciate this upcoming release primarily because it is the complete “series” set in one stand-alone box set. That is quite the noticeable change of course for Shout! Factory being that its previous seasons of Power Rangers were split up into multiple box sets. So, that Shout! Factory didn’t take that route this time is sure to impress any long-time Power Rangers fan. Second to note of this collection is the writing within the episodes. The most noticeable aspects of the “series’” writing are that while it serves as its own series separate from the original Power Rangers franchise, it also maintains at least the slightest of links to that franchise thanks to the inclusion of Bulk and Skull yet again, and of course the re-introduction of the Astro-Megaship from Power Rangers in Space. It’s sort of the writers’ way of saying the past is gone but not totally forgotten. Long-time fans will appreciate this just as much. Also, worth noting of the writing is the fact that the writers were able to keep Leo’s personal drama in check throughout the series, opting instead to allow the series’ central stories maintain their place at the forefront of each episode. Last but not least of all that makes this set so welcome is its continued use of both “live” footage and stock footage from its Japanese base series. Just like the writing mantains a link to Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise, so does this balance of footage. It rounds out the reasons that fans will want to add this set to their own collections. Together with the series’ writing and its complete complement of episodes, all three noted elements combine to make Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series a fitting final release from Shout! Factory’s series of releases from Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise.

Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series seems to be the last of Shout! Factory’s Power Rangers releases. That is unless there is a deal in place that would allow Shout! Factory to release Seasons 8 – 17, which were previously released in two separate box sets containing Seasons 8 – 12 and 13 – 17. Regardless, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series is still a box set well worth the addition to any Power Rangers fan’s personal collection. The most obvious reason that fans of Saban’s long-running property will appreciate this set is the very fact that it features the entire “series” in one stand-alone box set. Shout! Factory didn’t split it up into two separate sets unlike with its previous Power Rangers sets. This has been a point of contention among fans ever since Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Season 1 Volume 1 was released on DVD back in 2012. Save for the mid-season filler “series” Mighty Morphin’ Alien Rangers every other season of Power Rangers released by Shout! Factory since has been split into no less than two boxes. That being the case, having this potentially final season set released in one box is a breath of fresh air. Should the seasons that followed actually be re-issued separate from their previously released five-season box sets, hopefully they will in fact be re-issued as their own complete stand-alone sets, too just like this one. Regardless, this complete showing of episodes in one box is the cornerstone on which the rest of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series’ positives rest. It is a solid cornerstone, too.

The fact that Shout! Factory has presented Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series is a solid starting point in examining what makes this box set a success. It’s not all that makes the set a success. The writing that went into the show’s episodes is just as worth noting. Long-time audiences will appreciate the fact that the show’s writers didn’t just make a whole new series. They actually maintained a pretty solid link to Saban’s original Power Rangers series with the inclusion once again of Bulk and Skull into various episodes including the two-part season opener. The Rangers even utilize the Astro Megaship from Power Rangers in Space throughout this season. These two elements of the show’s writing by themselves show that the writers wanted to do their best to not alienate fans that came on board way back in the days of MMPR. The actual episodes though, are just as important to the presentation. Within the episodes themselves, the show’s writers were able to balance just enough the personal drama of the Power Rangers (E.g. Leo’s coming to terms with Mike’s “death,” Archie’s dealing with Leo and the pair’s growing friendship, Cerina’s longing for her home world, etc.) with their battles against Scorpius and his evil forces. The writers never let that personal drama step on the “series’” central story line, thus creating a whole that keeps audiences fully engaged from the “series’” premiere to its final, climactic battle. The end result of that writing is yet another part of the whole of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series that shows just why long-time fans of the Power Rangers will enjoy this latest release.

The inclusion of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy’s complete forty-five episode run in one complete stand-alone box set and the writing that went into the show’s episodes complement each other quite well in terms of elements that make this box set a success for fans. The show’s look is just as important to the presentation as the writing and the fact that the “series” has been presented in whole here. Both those that aren’t so familiar with the Power Rangers and the franchise’s long-time fans will appreciate that even this far into the Power Rangers’ run, will appreciate that the show’s heads once again combined new, live elements and CG along with the stock footage from its Japanese source series Seijuu Sentai Gingaman. This would be the last of the Power Rangers series to make that balance so noticeable for audiences. And it really added a certain something to the show, too. It could be argued that the balance of both elements creates once again that certain sense of old meets new that somehow creates so much enjoyment. It’s that familiar something that especially long-time fans will understand and that new fans will appreciate when they see that balance for themselves. It’s something that sadly was lost in some of the seasons that followed. The seasons in question had more of a spit-shined look about them. That look took away that certain feeling established by the previous Power Rangers seasons. Long-time fans will especially agree with that sentiment. And in doing so, they will agree even more that the use of both the original Japanese and American footage for this season completes the season, making all the more reasons for fans to add this set to their collections.

The mix of Seijuu Sentai Gingaman’s original video with Saban’s live and CG elements is a standard that long-time Power Rangers fans will definitely like about this season. The balance of the show’s writing elements adds even more reason for audiences to pick up this box set when it hits stores. It’s nice to see that the writers didn’t alienate the Power Rangers’ original audiences even in creating a new branch of the Power Rangers legacy. Rather they honored those fans and the legacy of the original series while bringing in a whole new generation of audiences with this season. The very fact that Shout! Factory presented this season in its entirety solidifies the whole thing, proving without a doubt that this is a must have for any Power Rangers fan. Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series will be available in stores and online Tuesday, March 10th. It will retail for $24.95 but can be pre-ordered online now for a reduced price of $19.99 at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/power-rangers-lost-galaxy-the-complete-series. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online at:

A little more than twenty years ago, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers made its debut on Fox’s Fox Kids afternoon programming block. At the time of its premiere, very little if any of the programming in that afternoon block was live action. The majority of the programming in the Fox Kids block was animated. So it goes without saying that the programming heads at Fox were taking a risk by bringing in Saban’s American adaptation of the Japanese series Super Sentai Zyuranger. Little did anyone know at the time that the risk in question would be one of the best risks that the network’s head would ever take. More than two decades later Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers has gone on to become the cornerstone of what is one of the longest-running and most successful children’s shows on television to date. Even after Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers’ original seven season run ended, it would not be the end of the success for Saban’s Power Rangers. Eleven more seasons would run between Fox and ABC before the Power Rangers would make the jump to Nickelodeon in 2012. Of those seasons that followed, Shout! Factory has already released ten with the eleventh–Power Rangers Lost Galaxy–set to see the light of day in a complete set next month. Shout! Factory’s releases of almost all of the Power Rangers’ first seventeen seasons have proven to largely be everything that Power Rangers fans have hoped for. And now that Shout! Factory is preparing to wind down its releases of those original seasons, it has made yet another dream come true for fans. It has made those fans’ dreams come true by finally bringing to America audiences the series that started it all in Super Sentai Zyuranger. Shout! Factory will release Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series on DVD next Tuesday, February 17th. It marks the first time that the series has ever received a full, proper domestic release. And just as with Shout! Factory’s Power Rangers box sets, this box set lives up just as much to fans’ expectations. It does so first and foremost thanks to the fact that it is presented exactly as it was in its original broadcast on Japanese television from 1992 – 1993. Every episode is there. And even better for American audiences is the fact that it includes English subtitles as a standard in every episode. In connection, audiences will also take note of the series’ writing. The adventures presented in Super Sentai Zyuranger are rather different from those in Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. And while the camp of the two series is noticeable different it can be said that that aspect of the two series’ writing is at least similar. The inclusion of a bonus panel discussion with the original cast of Super Sentai: Zyuranger rounds out the collection. The cast discusses everything from that series to working as stunt actors for the Power Rangers series, working on Kamen Rider, Godzilla and so much more throughout the nearly half-hour long discussion. Some rather interesting tidbits are revealed through the discussion that some audiences might not have known up until learning them here. Together with its original presentation and its writing, Super Sentai: Zyuranger’s first-ever American DVD release proves to be a must have for fans of either series or both. They also prove collectively once more why Shout! Factory remains today America’s leading name in home entertainment.

When Shout! Factory releases Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series next Tuesday, it will make a long-held dream come true for thousands of fans. Its release will mark the first time ever that it will have received a full, proper domestic release. And in examining the set in whole, it’s safe to say that fans of both this series and of Saban’s Power Rangers franchise will be thoroughly impressed with this brand new release. The main reason that audiences will be so impressed by Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series is that it is presented to audiences exactly as it was presented in its original Japanese broadcasts. It takes viewers right up to the introduction of what would eventually become the Green Ranger and evil villainess Scorpina in Saban’s Power Rangers franchise. Audiences will notice quite the difference between the two franchises, too. Those differences will be discussed momentarily. For now though, the focus will remain on the prior of the pair. Audiences will appreciate that every one of the episodes included in the original series is included in this set. Shout! Factory has also included standard English subtitles with each episode. Though audiences are given the option to turn off those subtitles if audiences so choose. In watching the series with its English subtitles, it should be noted that there is some language peppered throughout the series that some parents might find objectionable. So suffice it to say that because of that language and other content, this box set is aimed more at adults more so than children. That fact cannot be ignored.

Moving on to another aspect of the set’s presentation, those that are familiar with Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers will see where Saban clipped footage from this series for MMPR. That is just as important to the whole if only for its historical value. That is because by comparison, that same footage placed back into Super Sentai Zyuranger, it presents a wholly different story. That wholly different story puts both series into an entirely different context in retrospect. It’s another way that the presentation of Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series proves to be an especially important addition to any fan of the Power Rangers and/or Super Sentai franchise. The overall presentation of Super Sentai Zyuranger is important in its own right to the success of this upcoming release. As important as it is, the writing behind each of the series’ episodes is just as key to its success.

The writing behind Super Sentai Zyuranger’s is just as important to its success among fans as the set’s presentation. And fans will be just as impressed by the writing as by the overall presentation of the episodes. As previously noted, audiences that are familiar with both MMPR and SSZR will note in these episodes where exactly Saban incorporated SSZR’s into MMPR’s presentation. In seeing SSZR in its entirety, the footage presents a story that is entirely different from that presented in MMPR. It is interesting to see the gradual change in Miss Bandora (Rita Repulsa in MMPR) as the series progresses. She goes from being an evil space witch who hates everyone including children to eventually doing a near total 180. And even throughout the course of the story’s progression audiences see a story completely unlike that presented in MMPR even from the series’ premiere. Having the original guardians being woken up from their deep slumber versus the Rangers being picked actually makes perfect sense. And the intentional camp incorporated into the story makes for even more enjoyment. Given it’s a camp different from that in MMPR. But it still adds its own element of enjoyment to the presentation in whole. Whether for that camp, the original story, or even for other unmentioned reasons, the work that went into SSZR’s writing proves the writing in question to be yet another reason that fans of this modern classic will want to add Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series to their own home libraries.

The writing and overall presentation of Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series collectively make a solid argument as to why ay fan of this series or of Saban’s MMPR will want to add the brand new box set to their home library when it is released next Tuesday, February 17th. Anyone still not convinced by these aspects of the series’ first-ever full domestic release is sure to be won over by the companion “Power Morphicon Panel” included as a bonus feature with the set. The original cast of SSZR is featured in this panel. Despite what one might believe, the cast discusses more than this series with fans in attendance. The fans actually bring up a number of topics including the cast’s work on MMPR and Godzilla among other series and movies. There are little tidbits shared along the way such as the issues raised by the language barrier when the cast worked on MMPR. There are also more personal stories that audiences might have never known about the cast and how it met among so much more. The discussion in whole lasts almost half an hour. And again subtitles are included both for the English and non-English speaking cast. The subtitles coupled with the depth of information shared throughout the panel’s extensive discussion rounds out the reasons that fans of Super Sentai Zyuranger will want to add this long-awaited box set to their home libraries. Together with the writing and the set’s overall presentation, all three elements prove Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series to be one of this year’s most welcome surprises from Shout! Factory. And it proves without a doubt once more why Shout! Factory is the leading name in home entertainment.

Shout! Factory has slowly but surely made its way to the top of the heap in the world of home entertainment over the years. It has done so with the release of some of America’s most beloved TV series and movies. The upcoming release of Super Sentai Zyuranger: The Complete Series is one more notch the Shout! Factory’s proverbial belt. It is everything that fans of this series have hoped for ever since it finished its original run overseas over two decades ago. Audiences will agree with that sentiment when they finally get to purchase the box set for themselves next Tuesday. It will be available next Tuesday, February 17th in stores and online and can be pre-ordered now direct via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/tv/tv-action-adventure/super-sentai-zyuranger-the-complete-series. Fans that pre-order the set now via Shout! Factory’s online store can get it at a discounted price of $49.97 versus the SRP of $54.99. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

Three years ago, Shout! Factory made a dream come true for many audiences when it released the very first volume of episodes from the modern classic series Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Since that time, Shout! Factory has brought audiences every episode of Saban’s Power Rangers franchise from Mighty Morphin’ all the way to the end of the “Zordon era” in Power Rangers in Space. Even the series that would follow, all the way up to Power Rangers RPM have finally seen the light of day thanks to Shout! Factory. Now after all of those releases, Shout! Factory is bringing everything to a head with the release of one more season of Power Rangers in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series next month.

Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The Complete Series will be released on DVD on Tuesday, March 10th. The five-disc box set will contain all forty-five episodes of what was the first of the “post-Zordon era” Power Rangers installments. This season sees the spaceship Terra Venture set out into space with thousands of humans in its various habitats as they search for a new world to colonize. The journey isn’t an easy one as the evil insect-like Scorpius and his daughter Trakeena hunt the humans in their journey through space. It’s up to the new team of Power Rangers to protect the inhabitants of the Terra Venture in their voyage and stop Scorpius and Trakeena every step of the way.

Nickelodeon is set to close out the latest installment of Saban’s hugely popular Power Rangers franchise this weekend. Power Rangers Super Megaforce will close out this Saturday on Nickelodeon. Before it closes out Saban and Lionsgate have released a new featuring a holiday episode from this season. Power Rangers Megaforce: Robo Knight Before Christmas brings to audiences yet another new holiday tale from what has over the years become a worldwide phenomenon. What audiences will appreciate most of all in this episode is the fact that yet again, the people behind the franchise have switched things up in this episode instead of repeating the same story as in previous Power Rangers seasons. This is especially important considering some of the redundancy that can be seen in the seasons that followed the franchise’s original seven-season run. The lessons taught in the central episode tie directly in to that originality. It’s another reason that audiences will appreciate this installment from the Megaforce Rangers. Speaking of lessons being taught, the lessons taught in the companion episodes are just as important to the overall presentation. The episodes themselves may not be Christmas-themed. But the lessons shared in said episodes are just as applicable during the holidays as they are any other time of the year. Those lessons coupled with the lessons taught in the DVD’s central episode and said episode’s originality combine to make this DVD one that any Power Rangers fan will enjoy whether during the holidays or any other time of the year.

Over the course of its now twenty-ne years on television, Saban’s Power Rangers franchise has made a tradition of running a new Christmas-themed episode in every season. And every season’s Christmas episode has proven to be different from the last. This applies both stylistically and in terms of their stories. Power Rangers Megaforce: Robo Knight Before Christmas is no different in that fashion. Given, it is for all intents and purposes a clip show. And it’s not the first time that Saban has used clip shows in previous seasons of the Power Rangers. But through the use of the various clips, the story is more than just another typical clip show. For that matter, it’s also not just another piece telling about the “true meaning of Christmas.” The show’s writers incorporate the values commonly associated with Christmas into Robo Knight’s own attempt to better understand humans. The end result is something of a third person vantage point that helps to better illustrate the morals and values that are so important not just during the holiday season but during any time of the year. The show’s writers accomplish this goal without being overly preachy about it, either. Sure there’s some sappiness. But it’s still a good non-traditional piece that focuses on the holiday season and its associated values.

The lesson centering on Christmas’ values and Robo Knight’s own attempt to understand those values couple to make Robo Knight Before Christmas another enjoyable Christmas episode of Saban’s Power Rangers franchise. Staying on that same train of thought, the two Power Rangers episodes included as bonuses offer audiences their own positive lessons. Neither episode takes place during Christmas or even the holiday season. But they still teach invaluable lessons. Power Rangers Wild Force’s episode “Team Carnival” teaches an important and invaluable lesson about self-worth. The interesting thing of the episode is that the writers behind that season actually also took a non-traditional route in presenting said lesson. In the case of this episode, that season’s writers presented the lesson through the use of the season’s villains Toxica (Sin Wong) and Jindrax (Danny Wayne). When Jindrax sees that Toxica has her own family in the fight against the Power Rangers, it makes Jindrax feel worthless. He ends up teaming up with his own family member to fight the rangers and still learns his own valuable lesson about self-worth in the long run. It’s interesting to see any episode of the Power Rangers make a villain a sympathetic character. But it works here. That and the lesson centering on personal self-worth makes this episode its own invaluable addition to this DVD. It’s one more reason that this latest Power Rangers is another *ahem* mega-hit for audiences.

The second of the bonus episodes included in the new Power Rangers Megaforce DVD, “The Spirit of Kindness,” comes from Power Rangers Jungle Fury. The most important lesson taught through this episode could be argued to be that of the golden rule so to speak. As audiences will see in this episode, Casey (Jason Smith) finally wins over an old nemesis in Whiger (Jared Turner) and convinces Whiger to join him in fighting Whiger’s own former evil ally. Whiger admits before disappearing that he fought alongside Casey because Casey was kind to him unlike the season’s other villains. He finally realized in that final moment before his own demise the importance of kindness. It taught Casey that kindness can be just as powerful as fighting, too. That in itself is an extremely important lesson to be taken away from this episode. It’s one more lesson that is just as important during the holiday season as any other time of the year. This lesson combined with the others presented on this DVD shows once more how much the Power Rangers franchise has to offer audiences even two decades plus after it first debuted.

If the lessons taught in each of the DVD’s trio of episodes isn’t enough for audiences, then the fact that the DVD comes with a bonus digital copy will win over audiences. Having that digital copy means that audiences can take all three of these episodes with them wherever they go. So the lessons and the entertaining stories can be shared with any viewer without having to lug around the DVD. It is the finishing touch to yet another DVD that any Power Rangers fan will appreciate.

The end is finally here for Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise. What started out in 1993 lasted a grand total of six seasons. Rangers came and Rangers went as did powers and incarnations. Now in the long-awaited finale to the franchise that started it all, every one of the Rangers from the franchise’s first five seasons join the current team as they face off against every villain that the Rangers have faced up to this point in a battle for not just Earth but also the Universe. This collection of episodes effectively ends the original Power Rangers franchise before it got re-booted in early 1999 in the form of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. Power Rangers In Space: Volume Two is one of the absolute best groupings of episodes from the original series. The primary reason for that is of course the writing. While the final two episodes are the key focus of the collection, there was also the multi-episode story arc involving the Psycho Rangers. Audiences also see something of a personal growth from Andros (Christopher Kayman Lee) in some episodes. One in particular sees him take on a father-like presence when he saves the “servant” of an evil alien. The stock footage and special effects that made the series so wonderfully campy continued on through this season, too. That is another factor in this set that audiences will appreciate in viewing these episodes. Rounding out the whole thing is the presentation of the episodes. The episodes presented in this collection are much like those of the previous collections. They are presented exactly as they were in their original broadcasts on Fox’s FOX Kids afternoon programming block. Nothing was edited out. And the footage looks just as it did in the episodes’ original broadcasts, too. That factor rounds out the presentation in whole that is Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two. Together with the writing and the character development displayed throughout the episodes, it makes clearly visible why Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two a fitting finale to one of the greatest children’s franchises in modern television history.

Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two is a fitting finale to what is one of the greatest franchises in the modern history of television. The franchise lasted a grand total of six seasons before being rebooted in 1999 in the form of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. What started as a cult hit in 1993 proved to be one of the biggest cultural phenomena by its end five years later. One of the key reasons for that was the franchise’s writing. That is evidenced clearly in the finale to Saban’s original franchise. Most audiences will agree that the franchise’s two-part finale, “Countdown to Destruction” is the central point of this collection. However, a closer look at the episodes shows that the buildup to that point is really what makes the collection work. The writers build up to that final epic battle by forcing the Rangers to use all of their resources to face the Psycho Rangers multiple times. They also face quite the test when their main resources are destroyed in their attempts to destroy Ecliptor and Tankenstein. Audiences that grew up with this franchise will love seeing again how the Rangers tackle the situation with teamwork and the help of all of the previous Rangers. The fact that the writers could interweave each story arc into one whole story without losing audiences along the way is a testament to their efforts. On a side note, those that have continued watching the various incarnations of the Power Rangers up to this point can’t help but see a rather close similarity between “Countdown to Destruction” and the upcoming mega-battle in the Power Rangers Super Megaforce universe. It would be no surprise if this is where that show’s writers got their motivation for the franchise’s next upcoming mega battle. Again that being a possibility it goes to show once more the strength of the writers’ work even all those years ago. It’s just one part of what makes this (final?) collection of episodes such a fitting finale for the original Power Rangers franchise.

The writing behind the episodes culled for Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two is a solid starting point in an examination of what makes this collection so enjoyable. In direct relation, the growth of the characters—Andros specifically—helps move this collection forward. Audiences see him become increasingly welcoming to his fellow Rangers as the season progresses. This is especially noticeable in “Andros and the Stowaway” in which he saves an alien that looks a lot like an anglerfish with legs from its evil master. The care and concern given to the creature exhibits quite the emotional growth for him. To an extent, one could almost argue that the creature—dubbed Seymour by the Yellow Ranger—is somewhat representative of his sister, who obviously turns out to actually be Astronema. He cares for Seymour the way that he had never been able to look after his sister. It’s subtle, but it’s there. There is also the budding relationship between Ashley (The Yellow Ranger) and Andros in terms of character development. The writers can be applauded here as they didn’t let that take too much of the time in any episode. Whereas Tommy’s relationship first with Kimberly and then with Kat later in the original franchise, this relationship was kept more as an undertone of sorts. It was another way for the writers to exhibit Andros’ personal growth from the standard lone wolf figure to the warmer, more…..human character. One could argue even that it was one more way for Andros to heal from what happened and to give him a purpose to fight on and find his sister, whom he doesn’t realize, is actually Astronema, until these episodes. Looking back on the balance of character development and the overall writing, audiences that grew up with these episodes will appreciate them even more when watching these episodes again. The end result will be a heightened sense of nostalgia and in turn overall enjoyment.

The balance of character development and overall writing in these final episodes of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise is of the utmost importance. Those behind the show expertly balanced the two to make them some of the most enjoyable to watch. The writers really show in their balance of the elements just how much this team of Rangers has grown together and how their battles against Astronema have shaped them both personally and by themselves. It collectively makes for quite the interesting watch. As important as these elements are to the overall enjoyment and success of Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two, there is one last element to examine. That last element is the presentation of the episodes. What audiences get in this set is one more collection of episodes presented exactly as they were presented in their original broadcast on Fox’s FOX Kids afternoon programming block back in 1998. There has been no re-mastering or anything of the sort. The stock footage from the Japanese series that inspired the Power Rangers’ various incarnations is here as are the campy but oh-so-fun special effects. As a matter of fact, those that have HDTVs will love seeing the wires/strings used to make Ecliptor fly in various episodes. And just as interesting is the appearance in Ecliptor’s final battle against the Rangers of a mysterious figure in the background of their battle. A close look reveals what looks like a female villain in the background as the Rangers face Ecliptor for the final time. But even when he is defeated, there is no mention of that figure. One can’t help but wonder if that was the editors’ attempt to mix the Japanese footage with that of the American series as there’s no mention of said figure at all. She is there, though. Regardless, the original editors behind these episodes did an applause-worthy job mixing the elements. And those responsible for transferring the original tapes to DVD are just as worthy of applause, too. Their collective work alongside the work of the writers to develop the characters and storylines makes Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two all the more enjoyable for today’s kids and those kids at heart that remember watching these episodes as kids themselves.

A lot of work went into making the final episodes of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise memorable for audiences. That work was not lost on its fans. And those that have not seen these episodes since their original broadcast will recall just how memorable they were and are when they purchase this box set and watch these episodes again for the first time for themselves or with their own kids. Whether for the writing, the associated character development, or the original broadcast presentation of the episodes, audiences will see that there is a lot to like about Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two. They will then see that this is truly a fitting finale for what is one of the greatest children’s series in modern television history. It will be available in stores and online next Tuesday, October 7th and can be ordered direct from the Shout! Factory online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/power-rangers-in-space-vol-2. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory is available online at:

Shout! Factory and Saban will finish off Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise next month when it releases Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two.

Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two will be released Tuesday, October 7th. The upcoming box set is the end of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise. It is in this box set that audiences see Zordon, who created the very first team of Power Rangers, sacrifices himself in order to put an end to all of the evil forces that have faced the various incarnations of the Power Rangers throughout the franchise’s previous seasons. The season that would follow—Power Rangers Lost Galaxy—would be set in the same universe as the original Power Rangers franchise. However, its story line keeps the Rangers in space as humans search out a new world where humans can live. Also in this final chapter of the Power Rangers’ original Zordon era, a surprising secret is revealed to the Rangers. It is a secret that plays a big role in the final outcome of this long-running franchise. That and much more is in Power Rangers in Space: Volume Two.